Series A2: Four teams fight for third place

HC Eppan Sarah Jarno Mensonen's team is currently the big hunt in the second division. The Pirates are not at the top of the table, but rather occupy the coveted third place. They also want to defend this on the next two matchdays. On Friday, the Eppaners face the top game against league leaders Vipiteno, and two days later they host HC Gherdeina in front of their home team. Two games that point the way in terms of the table constellation at the end of the regular season. Jan Waldner still has to recover from his muscle injury and will therefore be missing, as will his offensive colleagues Patrick Wallenberg, Luca Sartore and Alex Rottensteiner.

SV Kaltern Rothoblaas After the defeat in the direct duel against Meran and the loss of fourth place in the table, the alarm bells are ringing in Kaltern, because with six rounds to go the Hechte have fallen behind. However, there is still enough time to make up for the points deficit to Eppan and Meran. The prerequisite for this is a point win on Friday against pursuers Val Gardena. On Sunday the Sandlin team will welcome HC Pergine in the Raiffeisen Arena. Patrick Thomaser has served his ban and is already available again against Val Gardena, while Thomas Waldthaler is still missing.

HC Neumarkt Riwega The second-placed team from the Lower Country wanted to shake up his team with a change of coach after their recent unconvincing performances. This move did not bring the desired success, at least on the last match day. On Friday, Teppo Kivelä and his boys will have a new opportunity to prove themselves and at the same time make the necessary fine-tuning before the start of the final championship phase. Neumarkt is protected at the back due to the points cushion of nine points, which enables the “Wildgänsen” to go into the upcoming games in Pergine and at home against EV Bozen 84 freed. However, Kivelä will have to do without the injured Patrick Zambaldi, Matteo Peiti, Daniele Delladio and Paolo Bustreo.

HC Gherdeina After the victory in Neumarkt, the HC Gröden players are brimming with self-confidence. They now look forward to the remaining six games with confidence. “The players now believe in their strengths again, now it is important to ensure continuity,” said assistant coach Pepi Linder, who added: “It is not important which place in the table we ultimately take, what matters is that we do everything we can at the start of the playoffs. I'm sure that our players will also give 120% to do well in the end." On Friday evening, Val Gardena will face Kaltern, Sunday away against Eppan. Gabriel Lang, who was recently weakened by the flu, could be available again, while Aaron Pitschieler has to serve a two-game ban.

HC Meran Pircher Meran convinced its fans with spectacular victories, celebrated six games in a row and moved up to fourth place. There is no question: the Eagles have recently started to soar. They want to continue this at the weekend with two wins against EV Bozen 84 and leaders Vipiteno. This goal is by no means utopian if the team continues to stick to McKay's instilled playing system and does not take the upcoming tasks lightly. After the return of Viktor Wallin, Patrick Cainelli and Michael Stocker, the Black and White coach is hardly worried about injuries. Only Thomas Mitterer has to watch due to a shoulder injury.

Hockey Pergine Sapiens The Trentino team no longer has a chance of jumping on the playoff train, but they still represent an unpleasant opponent for every team. Eppan also had to realize this on Wednesday. After the Überetscher had to give up the three points, Pergine now wants to cause a sensation by winning a point against Neumarkt and Kaltern. The penultimate team in the table has to tackle this task without the injured Alberto Meneghini, but some players from HC Bozen could step in for their farm team partner due to their break in the championship.

EV Bolzano 84 Groupon The bottom team from Bolzano also impressively demonstrated on the last match day that, despite the hopeless situation in the table, they will not allow themselves to be reduced to the league's shooting gallery. Coach Fred Carroll's team only had to admit defeat to leaders Vipiteno in extra time. This performance should be repeated in the next two matches against the clearly favored players from Meran and Neumarkt. With Oliver Schenk, EV Bozen has to specify a player.

WSV Vipiteno Weihenstephan The Broncos want to secure first place in the table as quickly as possible and thus secure a better starting position in the games for the League Cup (“Coppa di Lega”). On Friday evening, TJ Caig and Co. will host third-placed HC Eppan in the Weihenstephan Arena at home, before the second home game against HC Meran is scheduled for Sunday. Coach Oly Hicks has to make do without Stefan Ramoser and Daniel Erlacher in both matches, while Luca Scardoni is hoping for a lightning comeback.

Serie A2 – Matchday 37 Regular Season – Friday, February 1, 2013 Ice stadium Pranives in Wolkenstein, 20:30 p.m HC Gherdeina – SV Kaltern Rothoblaas

MeranArena in Meran, 20:30 p.m HC Meran Pircher – EV Bozen 84 Groupon

Weihenstephan Arena in Vipiteno, 20:30 p.m WSV Vipiteno Weihenstephan – HC Eppan Sarah

Ice rink in Vigalzano, 20:30 p.m Hockey Pergine Sapiens – HC Neumarkt Riwega

Serie A2 – Matchday 38 Regular Season – Sunday, February 3, 2013 Weihenstephan Arena in Vipiteno, 18:00 p.m WSV Vipiteno Weihenstephan – HC Meran Pircher

Ice stadium in Eppan, 18:00 p.m HC Eppan Sarah – HC Gherdeina

Würth Arena in Neumarkt, 18:00 p.m HC Neumarkt Riwega – EV Bozen 84 Groupon

Raiffeisen Arena in Kaltern, 18:00 p.m SV Kaltern Rothoblaas – Hockey Pergine Sapiens

The table after 36 games: 1. WSV Vipiteno Weihenstephan 78 points 2. HC Neumarkt Riwega 68 3. HC Eppan Sarah 59 4. HC Meran Pircher 57 5. SV Kaltern Rothoblaas 55 6. HC Gherdeina 51 7. Hockey Pergine Sapiens 32 * 8. Ev Bozen 84 Groupon 29 *

* one game less

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Series A2: Four teams fight for third place

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